We're hoping though good planning and the hiring of a "real contractor" (as opposed my my nights and weekends) to get the project done with less than a month of not being able to use the kitchen.
But during that time, what to eat for dinner? Our budgets and waistlines (and frankly our palates) would prefer that we not eat out every night for several weeks.
We have a kitchenette in the basement with a sink, microwave and mini-fridge, so we're able to re-heat stuff, make salads, maybe make some pasta. But since we'll have limited fridge/ freezer space, we can't just freeze a month of provisions. So I've been canning some meals in preparation:
The first two batches- something I grew up calling "chalupas" which is a pinto bean and pork stew with chiles and cumin, served over fritos ala "frito pie." It's a favorite, and one of the few things that picky me is willing to eat several meals in a row. The second batch was four quarts of spaghetti sauce, also a standby- we'll just have to get a hot plate for cooking the pasta.
I'm going to make a big batch of chili this weekend. I'm thinking I'll make both a pot of red and a pot of white chili to provide some variety. I'll probably need some more options though.
Anyone have suggestions of family favorites that I can put away for our time of need? I can pressure can just about anything that you could make in the slow cooker- the only caveats are no pasta, rice, grains or flours and no dairy products or eggs.
Good luck with your kitchen! Realistically these things always seem to take longer than we like, though, so putting up some EZ food ahead of time is a great idea. My mom is a big soup-freezer in these situations. Hearty turkey soup, beef stew, one-dish chili, they all freeze, reheat, and fill you up pretty well.
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